More kids should be allowed to bike to school

[F111]

Would you allow your kids to bike to school. When I was in school the bike racks was so full if I didn't go to school early their was no place to park your bike. I bike to school everyday winter and in the rain. In my days I think their was less traffic and it was safer on the roads. I probably rode my bike 20Km a day to get to all the places I wanted to go. I was independent!

 

[Roer]

I would LOVE for my kids to cycle to school. It's not so far (2km) and logistically possible. My biggest fear however are the parents dropping off and picking up their kids. After 5 years of witnessing this and sending emails to the Head Master, I've given up. My kids can cycle with me in the forest, but cycling to school will never happen. Just like you, I cycled to school, so it's sad not to let them be free and ride their bikes, but the saddest part for me is that that freedom is taken away by wreckless and traffic law lacklustre parents at their school and not taxi drivers, which I'm sure the latter gets lambasted regularly by those same hypocrites (parents).

[dirtrider]

Those days have gone . You cannot let your kid cycle to school anymore .

[LOOK695]

Those days have gone . You cannot let your kid cycle to school anymore .

Sad, but true

[kosmonooit]

Roads are so dangerous here, only if there was an off-road/pavement route.

 

I think what we also need is more cycling programs at the schools, look at how well the Swiss do, many because they had so many cycling programs for the youth.

[madmarc]

When my son was in primary school i had the same problem, he nagged and nagged until i decided to let him try. For the 1st week i rode with him and plotted the best and safest route, made sure he understood that he had to cross roads at intersections like robots etc, rode on pavements where he could. After a week i let him do it alone, unbeknown to him i was following him from behind to check if he listend to me. I did this for a week untill i was happy he would be safe.

 

within a month he had 6 or 7 mates all riding together, so it worked great and as long as they stuck to his route we ha plotted they were fairly safe. the big problem was the school no longer had bike racks and parking the bikes became a problem.

 

I really believe if your kid wants to ride to school dont just say it's not safe!!! go out and plot a route ride it with them for a couple of weeks. Teach them some safety and then follow them covertly, you'll soon pick up if they gonna be okay or not.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Those days have gone . You cannot let your kid cycle to school anymore .

 

Don't agree because ....

 

....

I really believe if your kid wants to ride to school dont just say it's not safe!!! go out and plot a route ride it with them for a couple of weeks. Teach them some safety and then follow them covertly, you'll soon pick up if they gonna be okay or not.

 

My son has recently discovered his bicycle and I now allow him to ride around our crescent alone once each night as I want to teach him confidence. I watch him as he comes to the one stop to make sure he obeys the rules of the road. On Friday night he did not and I reprimanded him, told him there was never an exception to the rules of the road.

 

 

I see the best way as a parent to protect my son is by not removing him from our "dangerous" roads but to rather equip him with the skills and knowledge to be safer when he does ride on them.

[dirtrider]

Maybe in Somerset , not in Gauteng . My neighbors son was stabbed in the arm 4 months ago and his bike was taken from him . He was on his way to school in Centurion . Traffic is not my concern , like you said , that something you can learn (and should) a kid about , but you cannot do anything about the crime in this place .

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Maybe in Somerset , not in Gauteng . My neighbors son was stabbed in the arm 4 months ago and his bike was taken from him . He was on his way to school in Centurion . Traffic is not my concern , like you said , that something you can learn (and should) a kid about , but you cannot do anything about the crime in this place .

 

In my area primary school kids have been beaten up by grown men for their bikes. A kid got shot at in Stellenbosch. And so and so ....

 

It happens all over the place, so teach kids how to be safe on the road and look out for all dangers.

[RichieT]

I also used to cycle to school, and the bike sheds were full (covered sheds!), but the only way it could work today is with dedicated cycle paths and that will only happen in heaven!

If "they're" mowing down cyclists in London, imagine the carnage here...

[GhostSixFour]

I cycled to school and back - it was fantastic. Nothing beats the feeling of getting on your bike and going home while others wait for their parents to come pick them up. Only caught rain 3 times in my school career - got wet more often when out training.

[Bateleur1]

I would love for my daughters to cycle to school and they actually would like to. I used to grow up biking everywhere I needed to be but at the route to school has a very dangerous road to cross and a nasty steep bridge to cross over a railway line. This bridge is very narrow. It is something for the future to look into but we also have a logistical issues with all the extra activities to school they always have a lot of crap to carry with them.

 

When my youngest daughter was three I used to cycle to creche with her two to three times a week with her. It was only one kilometer away but she loved it. She probably stole several hearts on the way as well with her pink bike, helmet, cycling kit and her doll in the basket.

[BigDL]

My son cycles to school every day, which was part of the reason that we chose to live where we do (Midstream). However, due to the way some of the parents drive at the school, with little regard for cyclists or pedestrians or, in some cases, verges and pavements, he has strict guidelines for what to do when he gets near the school gates I.e. Get off and push.

['Dale]

How ironic that the parents on the school run is some of the biggest endangerment.

 

Cool topic!